State Department Emails Show U.S. Changing Haiti’s 2010 Election

Emails released through the Freedom of Information Act have revealed how much the US State Department pressured the Haitian government to change the results of the 2010 elections. The State Department’s efforts, along with those of Haitian businessman Reginald Boulos, resulted in Jude Célestin being replaced by Michel Martelly in the 2nd round presidential runoff. In this year’s elections, the US has so far supported Martelly’s apparent efforts to influence the election results. Despite rampant fraud and violence (usually by Martelly affiliates) in the first round of elections, the U.S. has deemed the process acceptable.

Clinton Emails Reveal “Behind the Doors Actions” of Private Sector and US Embassy in Haiti Elections

Haiti Relief and Reconstruction Watch

October 8, 2015

Recently released e-mails from Hillary Clinton’s private server reveal new details of how U.S. officials worked closely with the Haitian private sector as they forced Haitian authorities to change the results of the first round presidential elections in late 2010. The e-mails documenting these “behind the doors actions” were made public as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit.

Preliminary results from the deeply flawed 2010 presidential and legislative elections were announced on December 7, 2010, showing René Préval’s hand-picked successor Jude Célestin and university professor Mirlande Manigat advancing to a second-round runoff. The same day, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti released a statement questioning the legitimacy of the announced results.

Behind the scenes, key actors were already pushing for Célestin to withdraw from the race, according to the e-mails. Just a day after preliminary results were announced, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten wrote to Cheryl Mills, Tom Adams and Daniel Restrepo, all key State Department Haiti staff. “Boulos + private sector have told RP [René Préval] that Célestin should withdraw + they would support RP staying til 7 Feb.” “This is big,” the ambassador added.